AO Qualies 1st round Part 2 : The Dani Show

Koellerer vs. Warburg

The Dani Koellerer show is back in Australia after a disappointing absence in 2006 and the people are happy for his return. He is like the car crash that you know you shouldn’t stop, but can’t help watching. His matches tend to be very popular in that players want to see him lose or others his antics.

In this match he was very solid from the baseline, hardly making unforced errors and was moving the taller Warburg around and exposing his lack of mobility. He wasn’t afraid to move forward and volley and played some excellent dropshots as well. He was his usual self giving shit to linespeople, ballkids and the umpire. He wants them to be involved in the Dani show.

One of the best things of the day was when he runs down a dropshot from Warburg and then hits a lob winner and then afterwards he does a running double fist pump screaming “Vamos” to a little ball kid and then a few seconds later he high 5s the kid.

Warburg pulled up with a foot problem and Dani asked him whether was Ok or not and didn’t laugh or mock him as he has done in the past. He took Warburg’s racquet and placed it by his chair and he celebrated the win, but not that much. He played some very good tennis and had the match in control and it’s a shit way to win and Peta is in love with Dani boy now.

Ghem. Vs Marray

Ghem is hilarious in every way. He is a big guy and a funny one in his own way and he is always talking to himself and funny mannerisms. It’s disappointing he couldn’t get sponsorship earlier in his career, but there is still some time for sure.

At the start of the match he couldn’t get a 1st serve in at all and that cost him a break and therefore the set. During the match he looks at me and says “What the hell is this, just running to net, this is not tennis”. While I agree with that in theory, sadly for Ghem this anti-tennis was successful.

In the second set he was serving better and was able to play more from the back and he has an excellent backhand and his forehand is quite ugly and not a fluid stroke at all. He is slow but not Behrend slow, but these two get along very well, though not sure who has the better volleys.

Have to thank Gu for telling me about Ghem and it was worth watching him, pity about the result.

Marach vs. Cilic

Marach has had an ankle problem and it’s still tender and he lacks matches and this is a guy who needs a lot of work to be at his best. This is not the ideal way to play against one of the best young players in the draw Cilic.

Big Ivo Karlovic was there and it seems they share a coach or something and yes even sitting down he is very tall. Cilic like most Croatian players has a good serve and he has very good groundstrokes and it’s clear to see why he likes the clay, but I think he will be able to adapt to most surfaces as he gains more experience.

Cilic was just a bit better overall and deserved to win in straight sets, the biggest problem for him will be how he handles the movement issue as that is going to be the key, especially for someone so tall and he is still growing. The match finished at 2230 and after the match Cilic was on court hitting for another 30 minutes.

Marach will be playing doubles and was screaming like a madman at times. He really hates night matches as he has a problem with the right eye and this also impacts on him during when the sun is going down. As for Cilic he really should make the main draw.